'What now?' Carlena had caught up with me at the solar of the keep, where I sat glumly on the throne. Once again, she had ushered all the servants out before speaking to me. Her face, usually pale and thoughtful, was flushed.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqGn9q31kD
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'Can you find other quests for me?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQjlQznx2S
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The Sorceress shook her head, silver hair swinging to emphasise the negative response. 'I no longer think questing is wise. I… we can't risk further aggravating the people. Already, they hate you. If they also thought you were not the legitimate king, that would be extremely dangerous. It seems that Carlos did all the introductory quests. If you were able to repeat them, well, the people aren't stupid.' After a moment she sighed. 'We are going to have to risk battle.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2pdT2V7Ce
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'Risk?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TM3mav1nN
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'You could die.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdtLU4W30r
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Neither of us spoke. For my part, I was thinking back to my gaming experience. Obviously, when it wasn't real, I'd taken risks and died many times as a result. No biggie. Here, it seemed, the PCs didn't respawn. First of all I confirmed that. 'No one returns after death?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwd74APlJW
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'As a vampire?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO56k9x0Z0
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'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBg7NVltc1
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With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9cL853Bc8
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I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2yK7UQX1q
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'I don't have the Polymorph spell; there's my Potion of Transformation which would last for eight minutes.' There was a reluctance in her answer.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyw8XT7lXL
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'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2VNlSoNeb
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'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8mdZy99m5
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'True.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI6bJoVCis
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Her comment about the potion reminded me of the other magic items that were in possession of the PCs of the kingdom. I checked under the town menu, people sub-menu and looked at the items again. Lord Arval had Shield of Defence +1; Trueblade +2; and Ring of Strength +1 which could all be of use. His Potion of Haste sounded good too, but that clearly had to be saved for war. Chancellor Parrin owned a Dagger +1; leather jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement. Nice too. Unfortunately, both were away just now or I would have borrowed those items.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9brQBZzIp
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'Sire?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGO5dkN40I
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I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbALcgUuNLT
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I suggest we obtain the services of the Cleric at the Church of Miya, for healing, and then the three of us go towards Mount Djace. There are monsters and dangerous wild animals for you to fight there, not too far from the city walls.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQKDVIVkBA
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'Not too likely to kill me?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCSOqpJ6W9
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There was no trace of a smile on Carlena's face. 'I don't think so. I have Freeze as one of my spells and if necessary, will destroy any challenge too hard for you with Fire Darts.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8CHlgpCIG
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'Right so.' I felt more cheerful. If Carlena and the Cleric could power level me for the rest of this afternoon, then with the borrowed magic items I could hope to steam along later in the week.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Fk0c9UgPq
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We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LuN0DUwlF
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There were no pieces of armour that could fit me. And in any case, I needed to travel light. This body wouldn't go more than a couple of miles without being exhausted. I selected a simple rapier, mainly for its sharp point, and a light wooden shield. Then, at the last moment I had an inspiration. If Carlena could freeze mobs, I needed missile weapons. So I took a bow and a quiver of arrows.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaq1jpl8dg
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Carlena equipped for action was quite a different woman to the one I'd seen around the town. Gone was the long hair for a start, it was gathered at the back of her head and tied up very tightly, with a blue headband to keep stray hairs from her eyes. Instead of the robes that had earlier swayed around her with a certain aristocratic grace, she now wore high leather boots, leggings and a sand-coloured waistcoat over a dark brown blouse. Two bandoliers of small purses criss-crossed her chest and back, while another belt at her waist also had several pouches. In addition had a backpack that seemed half full.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGBP2G9s5t
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After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMe17cLwgX8
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Already feeling encumbered – not in the sense of any game penalty, just with the clutter of my gear – I felt even more so when we finally left the keep, having ordered servants to bring me an empty backpack and a large skin of water.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctoxuRDIi2
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There was no need for Carlena to discreetly guide me to the church, a tall wooden spire acted as my route marker. As we walked, I checked the timers on all my projects, so that I could react promptly as soon as they were complete. Figus was out on a trade negotiation, time to complete unknown. Chancellor Parrin, similarly, was scouting with an unknown completion time. There were four hours to go until the smithy used up the iron I'd assigned this morning, at which point I would have twenty-four more steel pickaxes for the miners. Three days and six hours remained on my Shipbuilding 1 research countdown; exactly one day on the hunting lodge 3; and, from the military menu, just over two days for tower machicolations. As far as planning the kingdom went, I just had to allocate the new pickaxes when they were ready and I was good until the morning, when I would have at least 3 – hopefully 4 – iron ingots to assign.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVYDId7dWV
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Although the spire of the church stood out above the low roofs of the shops and houses of the town, the building itself was a simple wooden hexagon shape. It was more roof than room. Each of the six sides had a window that was simply a circular hole in the wall. Since we were experiencing a mild, if dull, day (late summer perhaps?) it wasn't uncomfortable, but surely winter assemblies here would be cold? The décor consisted of carvings in the wooden walls, some of them quite impressive interlacing. If there was a message, it was probably about fertility, given all the flowers and plants that were depicted.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZZtsCxHKY
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Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPxOfjDbMT
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Church level 1405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99sXKlGsRr
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Priest: Cleric level 1405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbyMPn82HV
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Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdFheVJmYA
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Well, that was interesting. It made me ambitious to have a high level church building, one that could heal a full range of injuries and improve the town's Happiness considerably. But then, probably every building had its uses. I needed to read up on them all.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgSqQuCCCY
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The Cleric was a female, her dress a simple tunic, but with a wreath of vine holding back her hair from a plain and nervous-looking face.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNprUgBKtYA
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'Sire?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwFIz1uQna
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'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXMImW5RfR
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'Get your armour,' added Carlena.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWqQsqzq8N
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I took a seat. The bench was too narrow for my body, but at least it faced directly into the wide space in the centre of the church and I could stretch my legs out and keep my balance. While we waited for the Cleric to put her fighting gear on, I asked Carlena about how magic worked. The short version was that spell casters had a mana bar that depleted according to the level of the spell they cast. It sounded familiar enough, although as she talked I got the impression that mana came back so slowly that she rarely cast more than four spells a day, which was stricter than most games I was used to.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VR5nDYJ0U
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With every level up, Carlena gained the capacity to cast a new spell and a new spell for her spell book. You assigned a spell from the book to a place on what was effectively a UI (she said a set of runes appeared at the edge of her vision) and in theory, you had to make a choice each morning as to which spells to acquire for your UI. In Carlena's case there was no choice because she had only nine spells for her nine slots.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2DSdPzhXp
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'I believe it is possible for you to research many more spells for me. Also for me to find scrolls and other spell books from expeditions and quests. Carlos never told me he could do it; he didn't trust me enough.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1YtVMmfgj
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ChgRRJ2yV
'Let me see if spells are in the town research menu.' There was indeed a sub-menu for spells: it seemed that you researched a spell by level and class and got a random result. This menu, however, was all greyed out and would only be available when Carrick had a scriptorium. I told her so.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ3G0gRn5o
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'What are you building now?' she asked.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZzsNBAFzx
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'Hunting lodge three. Which is only a two-day build, whereas a scriptorium level one would take three days. What's the logic here, do you know? What makes some buildings longer than others?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvtgBuGOQr
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Although it was obvious that Carlena didn't have a ready answer, she seemed reluctant to admit it and after a moment said, 'materials, importance, lots of factors. A scriptorium, even level one, could lift us into the first rank of kingdoms. Magic is key to winning battles. If you discovered Fireball for me, for example, that would make all the difference.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkFmtMpn7S
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaoCoeOzNy
'I don't know. If the people are starving, that's us defeated before we even get to battle. I have to solve that first.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5doBU7gKvB
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'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdhsrqQgtn
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Something about her tone made me look carefully at the sorceress. What could I see in her face and those extraordinary indigo eyes? Determination, authority and… ambition perhaps. Given that she needed me to access the menus for the realm, I had nothing to fear from her, did I? This was, however, a new universe, I reminded myself and I should take nothing for granted.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagm2aYRqMZ
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At last our Cleric returned, looking completely different. Now she was wearing a chainmail suit of armour that included a coif, so she was glittering iron from head to toe. In one hand was a fierce-looking mace, in the other a shield and there was a pack on her back.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqbBm96IHe
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Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLjbvR50n6
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Walking out of the west gate of the castle, the journey was a dull and tiring affair. I could no longer talk candidly to Carlena and learn more about the rules of the world; we had to stay in character. While I could call down menus, I was self-conscious about that too, given it involved arm gestures. Perhaps, though the Cleric was used to the king waving in the air.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0NvhV9yjN
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About an hour into the journey, I began to falter. My thighs were sore from chaffing against each other and my shoulders ached from carrying the sword and the shield. It helped that Carlena had ordered the Cleric to carry my bow and quiver.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5p9maPub7A
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I was curious about the Cleric; what manner of person was she? What was her name even? But quite apart from the fact I needed every breath for the walk, I didn't ask. It wouldn't be true to the old King Carlos.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlVaHVKT1s
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After what felt like ten miles, but was probably only two, we were on gorse-covered, sloping ground that led up to a skyline of rounded hills. Nearby, a lively-sounding stream ran through the gorse and wild grass.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxo2cIwfsiw
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'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMUrMzukDm
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'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXA2Ul6n2BC
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'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0pUZv5WFq
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After a couple of minutes I stood up. 'Right so.' I took my bow from the cleric and put it on the ground at my feet, the quiver of arrows alongside it. Then I gripped my rapier in my left hand and hefted my shield in the right.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXwYKPuJRv
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Just behind me was the Cleric, a glance showed her looking determined: in her right hand was her mace but her left was touching a circle of bronze that rested on her chest, hanging from a necklace. I gave her a nod, which I hoped was encouraging, but she just looked away fearfully.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2XIxvdhaT
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'Here!'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMBtbmY0Yc
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Carlena was hurrying back towards me, with a brown creature chasing her that looked somewhat like a small ostrich or a baby tyrannosaurus. It was sprinting on two legs in an impressively fast waddle, its head swaying on a thin neck with the weight of a sharp-looking beak. It was feathered, but unlike an ostrich had two small arms with claws.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTHfnabgjc
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Feet thumping on the path, Carlena swept past me and I launched into the monster. Or at least I tried. Instead of being able to adjust my feet and bring my rapier point between me and the creature, I stumbled slightly and the creature was inside my reach, landing a vicious whack onto my ribs on the left hand side with that chisel-like beak. The stone-hard bone tore through my tunic and when the beak pulled back, blood should have sprayed everywhere.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrViwWCeZl
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Good news. The pain was mild, nothing like that of a real wound. And there was no blood, no exposed ribs, only a patch of red.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7b12qU0Jy5
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Bad news.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRY77ND4zT
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You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQkUo70yZ1
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'Freeze!'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvy4wcA2fO
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I staggered back, just before the monster lashed into me again. With a screech of outrage, the Ciatern – as I'd just learned it was called – strained its utmost to finish me off but trashed impotently with its two feet fastened to the ground.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nVrWDmge5
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'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAr2l8dXOY
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Shaking lose my shield and dropping the rapier, I gathered up the bow and grabbed an arrow, only to pull it back too far and somehow get the point jammed into the frame of the bow. My low Dexterity was really punishing me. From behind came the reassuring sounds of the cleric chanting.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHCMqoiapd
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Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRzAUwNNGM
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You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PMW8NamWG
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That was progress at least.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMsSMUDS8S
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My next shot went wide and high.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUwWUAU7HU
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8v8wr5tXn
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For the third shot I really concentrated. I took my time, drew the arrow well, held my breath to steady my aim and fired. Miss again! It'd gotten closer but the arrow flew past to the right.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdReAZ7kvH
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjYXfNzsUX
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmobVcYnmWG
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A heal landed.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Y1lvey6n2
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You have been healed of 5 points of damage.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqTBQFv3tB
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'Last chance,' said Carlena.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27X3VL7222
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I missed.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oZFXpOyqQ
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl4lFxCiNo
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The screeching monster broke free and leapt at me again and I had nothing but the bow to interpose between me and that swift-moving, sharp beak.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVwiNFwTwF
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A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklae1pvzyC
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'Not the start we hoped for,' I muttered apologetically. It had been years since I had played a low level tank. I'd forgotten how weak they were.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7o8179wxm
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'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3d4ZaHifb
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'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1hFqe8XA4
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'All?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLDxQPUAli
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'Sorry sire.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsuXYLbhTO
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Damn me, but this world was harsh. A day's mana on a 5 hit point heal. Admittedly, she was only a first level Cleric, but still.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9LrAYKg2l
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'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtGJNRWuDp
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'Oh, did it?' Carlena looked at me with a quizzical expression, but she had a question she didn't voice it, perhaps holding back because of the presence of the Cleric.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLCgyWb1j8
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The Cleric went forward off the path and it took me a moment to realise she was looking for my arrows. That was a good idea and picking up my rapier and shield just in case, I went after the one that had gone high.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGhZdwPdTK
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6KbA0d8FU
There were several large boulders in the landscape and one of them had been close to where the arrow had travelled, so I used it as a landmark. As I was looking at it though, I had a sense that something had moved, some shadow in the wrong place.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LjxFavgYZ
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMby17cTs1k
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdahNGX9RPM
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMoRUObFEp
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmSu6gmebD
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQyFItLyzN
'I think there is something at that rock.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpZSfzMixO
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWPD3N3NF0
'Stay here… sire, please. Cleric, you circle to the right.' With that the Sorceress began moving to see around the back of the boulder by walking to my left, keeping her distance. Her hands, I noticed, were picking items out of her pouches. Did spells require components? It looked like it.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wC6yEdVIC
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Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvjytiXa3k
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'Freeze!'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIQsGATy1h
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I was already running at him, as fast as my heavy body would go, which was a frustratingly slow waddle. Still, I was in a good position this time. Twist and turn as he might, the man's feet were locked on the ground and I could line up my rapier point with his back. As I did so, a green box flickered into existence, then out as the blade moved on.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRJjTksp7y
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By pointing the weapon precisely, I could get the target box to stay and I gave a mental command, go! Lunge! Activate! It wasn't the word, but the intent that seemed to work and suddenly I jerked forward and stabbed hard into the man's spine.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdxWKolY9n
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHV75hcdvN
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHR5H2ir3fp
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3uCHuSnZw
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI89oSh6GFX
You cannot become better at Lunge.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡap8tvHGLAM
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The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9c33cROHW
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'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkMOGxFfLz
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'Who are you?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04iQ6suoWT
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'I'm a scout for King Wace.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJHQM1Nacd
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'Of Southway?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucuklw9sAF
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'Aye.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwJzK64ZDH
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD90dDKBoma
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4uTGMeuD0
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She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoJpemVIGF
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You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU29PqW2dxS
You have killed a Rogue!405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXacvl6jxC
You cannot become better at Lunge.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDh38shxMv
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMV6okZFnJg
You have gained 35 Experience.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nT0FkFtJD
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Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SV1IhvrW8
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'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MWEaHyXDj
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Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbyi0baBoV
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'What next?'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VF2BgrgOs
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'I have one more Freeze left and it seems that you have a useful attack with your sword. If I freeze something, you can get behind it and deal your damage that way, rather than try to use the bow.'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡII0Y9GkeQs
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'I agree.' And I did feel confident about this strategy. It was only a shame that Carlena was so short of mana, because I reckoned we'd now discovered a way I could grinding up several levels: Freeze and me Lunge from behind.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIGzCc85Xu
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXoOvAcIEv
The Sorceress stooped by the body of the Rogue and came up with the dagger in her hand, then tossed it and caught it. 'This will do to attract attention.' With that she moved slowly through the heather, but again, it was me who saw a movement. A possible target, another Ciatern. I gave a low whistle and pointed.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSJj4d7C4U
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Without responding, Carlena walked towards the monster until she was about twenty yards away. The creature looked up. Neither moved until Carlena flung the dagger. The spinning blade missed, but it galvanised the Ciatern into a dash towards her. There was something comical about the way it ran but nothing at all humorous about the hammer head and sharp beak.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4Wjb9TndV
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'Freeze!'405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpm2jmC8UR
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Again, that awful screeching began and I had to hurry closer to it, cleric at my side, and skirt around until I could line up my lunge at the creature's back.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpR3ESEF89
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It was a surprisingly long fight and I was getting anxious about the timer on Freeze when the mob finally died, after my fifth hit. With a delicious golden rush of light, I got the message I had been anticipating: I had levelled up!405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLKVyOW0qK
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ntv2lUTf9
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQNGUCC8aO
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrtBQCtJd8
You have killed a Ciatern!405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4gp5CUrxz
You cannot become better at Lunge.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBEN3Fj2tz
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeG0tv4BDq
You have gained 75 Experience.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMW9QPKloMw
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkF9EC8mSy
You have gained a level! Your hit points are restored and your timers on skills and feats have reset. Please view your character sheet for other benefits.405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBryXaYZyK
405Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zWczr5P5y
This was more like it. I was delighted with myself. Yes, there was still a mountain to climb, but at least I was properly on the path now.
